Today I stepped foot in one of the oldest churches in Springville. The building itself is 142 years old. It was built in 1872, with the original windows still intact. Charles Griffin (former two-term mayor of Springville) is a long time member and financier at the Presbyterian Church. With the help of the Preservation Society of Springville coupled with some large donations outside the county (Birmingham), the church raised enough money to successfully refurbish their building floors.

“The community has always been behind us. It means a lot to the community because it is the oldest church,” said Griffin.

Griffin keeps on file all the contributors who built the building and his main goal is to get all church documents digitalized at the Columbia Seminary in Georgia.

The hand carved pulpit is the oldest object in the building. It was transferred no less than a quarter of a mile from the Southern Presbyterian Church to the Presbyterian Church of Springville in 1872.

Griffin said, “There’s always been a service here since 1872 and we strive to maintain that.”

Before Sunday School commenced, I asked a few members what it meant to be Presbyterian. Zach Huffstutler said, “It comes from the reformed tradition of Martin Luther and John Calvin.”  In short, Presbyterians are a by-product of the protestant reformation. Although Martin Luther was a Catholic himself, he didn’t believe in selling indulgences; the idea that one could buy their way into heaven.

During the 1970s there was a split within the Presbyterian society. On the right side, you have Briarwood, a conservative Presbyterian church. While on your left, you have Presbyterian U.S.A, a more liberal church that enables women to be pastors.

Debby McDonald is the part-time minister at the Springville Presbyterian Church.  “The Presbyterian church is generally known as one of the more highly educated churches,” she explained. “We believe very strongly that ministers should be well educated.”

When I asked Minister Debby if predestination was a central idea to Presbyterian faith she said, “I like to think of predestination as… being created by God, and predestined by God to be loved by God.”